cotton boxer shorts and bedlinen going stiff and hard once washed - what am I doing wrong ?

[gingeroots]

I'm not using softener - is that why ?

Should I try white vinegar ?

what is the water like where you live? If you're in a hard water area, then it could be the water content causing things to go stiff. Try adding a tablespoon of soda crystals to the wash. Soda crystals will help soften the water.

Are you line drying or tumble drying? Line drying will always make things stiffer than tumble drying. A quick run over with the iron might help too, this tends to help looses up the fabric a bit.

Why don't you just add fabric conditioner?

You could also try leaving the things on the line outside in the rain, to give them a really good rinse. I do this from time to time with towels etc, and they end up nice and soft (I can't use softener due to DS' eczema).

in the rain? Rain water is pretty dirty. After all, it is evaporated water from rivers, canals etc and, well, you can see how filthy they are. I rewashed all my washing after it got caught in a storm the other day.

Evaporated water is pure! The dirt and bacteria get left in the river, and pure water evaporates. You can make drinking water from dirty water by using clingfilm, sunlight, two containers, one inside the other and a stone.

However, the rain that comes down may collect dirt, acid etc from other gasses and clouds in the air.

We live in a very hard water area and I have to use fabric softener in every wash and tumble dry most things otherwise they just go like cardboard!

I never use fabric conditioner on towels as it makes them feel slimy in use and less absorbent. I do, however, always tumble dry them.

Thanks everyone .I'm in v hard water area and dry indoors as live in an upper flat .

Iron mmmm .What is this iron of which you speak ?

Oh ,I very rarely use conditioner as I've got it into my head that it will clog up the washing machine .

Will try soda crystals ,thanks for that tip .

I use conditioner every single wash and my machine has never been clogged up.

Liquid detergent clogs the machine up more than fabric softener does. If you always use bio powder it prolongs the life of the machine... or so I've been told anyway!

For your towels try using less washing powder - you don't need much with towels, especially if washed at a high temperature - as it might be powder residue making them stiff. Instead cut down on the powder and add more soda crystals. You might even try washing the towels at a high temp with just some soda crystals once or twice to get rid of the stiffness - you will probably still see foam in the machine.

Thanks for all that .

I'm probably lumping fabric conditioner in with liquid detergent ,which I never use .

Soda crystals it is .